England confirm squad numbers for Women's World Cup

Captain Steph Houghton will wear number five at the tournament in France.

The Football Association has announced England Women's squad numbers for this summer's World Cup in France.

Captain Steph Houghton is to wear number five, as she did at the 2015 finals in Canada when the Lionesses finished third.

Other players given the same numbers as they had at that tournament are goalkeeper Karen Bardsley (one) and midfielder Jill Scott (eight), Houghton's Manchester City team-mates.

Forward Nikita Parris, the FWA Women's Footballer of the Year who has just announced she is to leave City, will wear the number seven shirt, while Reign FC's Jodie Taylor is once again her country's number nine, as she was when she was top scorer at Euro 2017.

The announcement was made on Thursday ahead of the majority of Phil Neville's squad for France meeting up at St George's Park. Lyon's Lucy Bronze and Barcelona's Toni Duggan will not be involved at this stage, with the pair set to feature in Saturday's Champions League final.

England have two more warm-up games, against Denmark in Walsall on May 25 and New Zealand in Brighton a week later, before opening their World Cup campaign by facing Scotland in Nice on June 9.

Neville said: "Releasing the squad numbers is another significant moment on our World Cup journey.

"We've tried to keep the same numbers as we used in our last camp as we knew the players were happy with those choices.

"Excitement is really starting to kick in and it'll be great to work with most of the squad over the next few days at St George's Park as we prepare for our last two games before departing for France.

"The new kits are great and the players can't wait to wear them at this summer's tournament."

The design of the kit England will be wearing at the World Cup is exclusive to the women's team – the first time that has been the case.